Executrix of



N M I so odel) KPH. SOHAFER Dec d. 6Sheet Sheetl C. Scauna, Executrix. APPARATUS FOR CUTTING W'OOUSPLINTS.

No. 593,610. Patented Nov. 16, 1897.

THE Nunms PETERS cu, mom-urna. wnsumomu, a c.

(No Model.) KI H. Dec d 5 SheetS-S heet I 0,8cnusn, Executrix. APPARATUS FOR CUTTING WOOD SPLINTS.

No. 593,610. e d Nov. 16,1897.

20 Wvuwaea ZAQMJQ V $5 twang 6? I THE u'oams PETERS co wmauma. WASHINGTON. a. c.

5 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

K. H. SCHAPER, Deo d.,

v 6. SGHAFER, Executrix. APPARATUS FOR CUTTING WOOD SPLINTS.

(No Model.) '5 Sheefis-Sheet 4.

K. H. SGHAFER, Deod.

G ScnAFEa, Exeeutrix. APPARATUS FOR CUTTING WOOD-SPLINTS.

(N M dem. K H. SCHAPER, Dewd 5 Sheets- Sheet] 5.

G .SGHAFER, Executrix. APPARATUS FOR CUTTING WOOD SPLINTS.

N0. 593,610. Patented Nov. 16, 1897.

OATHARINA SOHAFER, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, EXEOUTRIX OF U TED. STATES PATENT OFFICE.

KONRAD H. SOHAFER, DECEASED.

APPARATUS FOR CUTTING WOOD SPLINTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent I \T0. 593,610, dated November 16, 1897. Application filed May 24, 1895. 5 Serial N- 550 .502- (No modem T0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that KONRAD H. SOHAFER, de-

ceased, a citizen of the United States, lately tion of machine wherein the splints are cut from the bottom of wooden blocks by means of reciprocating cutters, provision being madefor readily adjusting said cutters and for reducing the-waste of raw material to a minimum.-

It also consists of a novel device for rendering certain of the parts of the apparatus instantly inoperative.

It further consists of novel details of construction, all as will be hereinafter set forth.

Figure '1 represents a side elevation of an apparatus for cutting wood splints embodying the invention. view of the same. Fig. 3 represents, on an enlarged scale, a perspective view of a frame removable from its normal position. Fig. 4 represents a side elevation of said frame. Fig. 5 represents a longitudinal sectional view of the frame, showing also the wood blocks in position. Fig. 5- represents a section on line m 00, Fig. 5. Fig. 6 represents a perspective view of a portion of the device in which the frame is placed and by which it is actuated vertically. Figs.7 and 7%represent end views of the frame seen-in Fig. 3 in difierent posi-. tions, showing the device for imparting lateral motion thereto. Fig. 8 represents, on an enlarged scale, a perspective view of a portion of the mechanism and the device for rendering the same inoperative. Fig. 9 represents a partial section on line y y, Fig. 8. Fig. 10 represents a plan view of the head which carries the plane and the cutters. Fig. 11 represents a plan view of the clamping device which holds the cutters in position. Fig. 12 represents a section on line 2 .2, Fig. 11,

showing how the adjacent cutters are held relative to each other. Figs. 12% and 13 represent the cutters employed. Fig. 14. repre sents a section on line x m, Fig. 12%, showing which they were out.

Fig. 2 represents a plan one of the cutters advancing into a block of wood. Fig. 15 represents a perspective view of the block from which the match-splints are cut. Figs. 16 to 19, inclusive, represent detail views showing the difierent positions the block assumes relative to the cutters. Fig. 20 represents a sectional view showing the position the splints would assume relative to each other if placed back in the block from Fig. 21 represents a perspective view of a finished splint.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures. 7

Referring to the drawings, in Figs. 1 and 2 1 designates beams which are supported in any suitable manner and carry the principal operative parts of the machine. 2 designates'a shaft which is mounted in suitable boxes and has secured to it the balance-Wheel 3 and the belt-pulley 4.. 5 designates a crank on said shaft, said crank being connected to the end 6 of the connectingrod '7. y 8 designates a cam secured to the shaft 2, the working outline of which is seen in Fig. 1. The said cam 8 serves also as a crank-disk and has the crank-pin 9 secured thereto, to

which is attached one end of the pitman 10,

the other end of the latter passing through a slot in the lug 11, which is attached to the lever 12, the latter being pivoted at 13 to a suitable fixed point. The pitman 10 has attached thereto 011 each side of said lever 12 the blocks 14 and 15, the latter block being adjustable and held in the desired position by a set-screw.

- 16 designates a spring which bears on the lever 12, as is best seen in Fig. 1.

17 designates a pawl pivotally attached to the lever 12 and having its end adapted to engage the teeth of the ratchet-wheel18,which latter has a handle 107 and is mounted on a shaft 19, which revolves in the boxes 20,which fit in the recesses 21 of the frame 22, Fig. 3, said frame consisting of the end portions 24 and the sides 23, in which latter are said recesses 21. The sides 23 are also each provided with recesses 25, which support the boxes 26 in which the shaft 27 revolves, the boxes 20 and 26 being held in position by the straps 32.

.33 designates cross-pieces attached to the bottom of the frame 22, which serve to strengthen the latter. Each of the shafts 19 and 27 has mounted thereon within the frame 22 a fluted roll 28, between which the wooden blocks 31 are held.

29 designates a gear also attached to the shaft 19, which meshes with another gear 30, mounted on the shaft 27, whereby it will be seen that the revolution of the ratchet-wheel 18 will impart a rotary motion to the fluted rolls 28, and so will cause the blocks 31 to be fed downwardly, as will be explained, said blocks being held in position in the upright frame 109 by the weight 108.

34 designates springs which are attached to one end of the frame 22 and extend through the adjacent cross-piece 33 and have their free ends contacting with the end 35 of the an gulardog or clamp 36, whose lower extremities 37 are sharpened, so as to readily engage the adjacent block 31 and hold the same against the cross-piece 38, which is secured to the beams 1 in any convenient manner- The bottom of each of the sides of the frame 22. has a recess 39, which is engaged by the bar 40, which rests in the beams 1, the other end of the frame 22 being also suitably supported, as seen in Fig. 5. 41- designates lugs, which in the present instance are four in nu mber and are attached to the corners of said frame 22, Fig. 3, and each lug has a recess 42 in its under face, which receives the head 43 of the spring 44, which is bent into U shape, as seen in Fig. 4, and has the head 45, which is suitably held in position, so that the frame 22 and the fluted rolls 28 carried therein are capable of a slight up-and-down movement. It will be obvious, however, that springs of other shapes than the ones shown may be employed, if desired.

When the parts are assembled for operation, the frame 22 is placed within the casing 46, whose construction is best seen in Fig. 6, the same consisting of the two end pieces 47, to which are attached the side portions 48 and 50, which have the feet 49, by which the said casing is held in position. The opposite sides 48 and 50 have suitable bearings therein for the rock-shafts 51 and 52, each of the latter having lugs 53 thereon, which are normally turned toward the ends 47 of the casing. One end of the shaft 51 has the crank 54 thereon, which is pivotally attached to the link 55, which is itself pivoted tothe arm 56, which rocks on a pin 57, the upward movement of said arm 56 being caused by the spring 58, which has one end secured at 59, said spring being shown in Fig 1 as having its free end compressed nearly to the line coincident with the bottom of the beam 1.

6O designates a rock-arm, which is attached to the shaft 51 at the end opposite to the arm 54 and is turned at an angle of one hundred and eighty degrees thereto in the present instance. 61 designates a link which connects said arm to the arm 62, which is secured to the shaft 52.

Each of the sides 48 has attached thereto a spring 63, the free ends of each spring contacting with the adjacent side 23 of the frame 22 when the latter is in position. The said frame 22 is centrally placed in the casing 46, as seen in Fig. 2, when the parts are assembled, and the lugs 53 are directly over and in proximity to the beads 64, which are near the four corners of the frame 22, Fig. 3, so that it is evident if a rocking motion is imparted to shafts 51 and 52 the contact of the lugs 53 with the beads 64 will impart up-anddown movement to the frame 22, as will be explained. When the said frame is in position, as seen in Fig. 2, the springs 63 are in contact with one of the sides 23, as stated, while the opposite side has near the upper portion of each end thereof a bead or projection 65, which is adapted to be engaged by the rounded teeth 66 of the cog-wheels 67, which are each mounted on the shaft 68, which is substantially parallel to the adjacent side 23, as seen in Fig. 2,and which revolves in suitable adjustable boXes 69, which are mounted in the ends 47 of the casing 46, one of which boxes is seen in Fig. 6. The said boxes are made in sections and are located in the recess 70 and are held in position on one side by the screw-bolt 71, which is provided with the locknut 72, and on the other side by the key 73, which fits into depressions in the sides of the recess 7 O and the adjacent section of the box 69, and it will thus be seen that by filing the keys and manipulating the screw-bolt or setscrews 71 the position of the shaft and of the cog-wheels 67 relative to the frame 22 can be readily adjusted.

The shaft 68 is shown as being substantially on a level with the beads 65, Figs. 7 and 7%, but it is obvious that the position of this shaft may be varied, if desired. One end of said shaft 68 is projected beyond its bearing and has mounted thereon the ratchet-wheel 74, which revolves in a plane at right angles to the plane of rotation of the ratchet-wheel 18. Motion is imparted to the said wheel 74 by means of the pawl 75, the relation of said pawl to the teeth of the ratchet-wheel being clearly seen in Fig. 8 and being such that on a vertical reciprocating motion being imparted to the pawl the wheel 74 will rotate in the direction of the arrow, and thus impart lateral movement or one transversely to the plane of travel of the cutters to the frame 22, as will be understood from Figs. 7 and 7?}.

The lower portion of the pawl 75 is pivotally attached to one end of the lever 76, which is pivoted at 77 to a suitable fixed point, while the other end 78 of said lever 76 is recessed, as will be understood from Fig. 1, and carries the roller 79 within said recess, the lower portion of the walls of the latter projecting over the periphery of the cam 8, so that the said roller is always held in position upon said cam.

The device for throwing the pawls 17 and 75 out of engagement with their respective ratchet-wheels, and thus rendering the mechanism which actuates the wooden blocks 31 temporarily inoperative, although permitting the main shaft 2 to revolve in the meanwhile, is best seen in Fig. 8, the same consisting of the lever 80, having the handle 81 and pivoted to a fixed point 82, the end 83 of said lever contacting with a suitable portion of the pawl 75.

76% designates a stand which is attached to the beam 1 and has the lever 84 pivoted to it, the upper end 85 thereof being beveled, as seen in Fig. 9, while. the lower end 86 has a wire or other connection 87, which is attached to the lever 80 at a point intermediate the handle 81 and the pivot 82. 88 designates a rest for the handle of said lever, the same having the stops 89 thereon. It will thus be seen that a movement of the handle 81 in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 8, will throw the pawl 75 out of engagement with the ratchetwheel 74 and will alsomove the lever 84 in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 9, and thus raise the pawl 17 out of engagement with its ratchet-wheel 18, as is evident. On moving the handle 81 in the opposite direction the parts assume their normal position again.

When the parts are in operation, the ratchetwheel 18 is prevented from turning backwardly in any instance by means of the supplemental pawl 90, which is held in contact with the teeth of said wheel by means of the spring 91.

The construction of the plane and the head which carries --the cutters will now be described, reference being especially had to Figs. 10 to 14, inclusive.

The connecting-rod 7 has one end pivotally attached to the head 92, which latter reciprocates in suitable ways or guides, which may be supported on the beams 1, the plane of movement of said head 92 being below the lowermost of the blocks 31 when the latter are in position, as will be understood from Fig. 5.- The said head 92 has the opening 93 therein for the purpose of lightness, &c., and to the forward portion of said head isattached the plane 94, Figs. 5 and 10, the office of which is to remove all irregularities, &c., from the under side of the lowest block 31.

95 and 96 designate blades or cutters whose construction is clearly seen in Figs. 12% to 14,

the top of the same having the scalloped con-; tour 97, beneath which are the, openings 98,

arranged in substantially horizontal alinement, the top of each of said openings being tapered, so that a cuttingedge 99 is formed, as seen in Fig. 14, the said opening 98 being preferably oval, in order to minimize the trio-- all the blades 95 beingin alinement, while all the blades 96 are also in alinement, but in advance of said blades 95, as will be understood from Figs. 11 and 12, the'blades 96 being inserted in the recesses 100 and the blades .95 being inserted in the recesses 101 and all the blades being held rigidly in position by the threaded bolts 102, the application of which will be readily understood from Figs. 11 and 12, said bolts passing through the strip or clamping device 103, which is secured to the head 92 in any suitable manner.

Referring now to Figs. 5 and 5%, 104 designates a bar of some soft material, as copper, which is secured to the under side of the beams 1 and is provided with recesses 105, so that when the blades 95 and 96 are traveling in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 5, they will contact at the end of their stroke with said bar, and will thus cause splints 112, out

from the under side of the lowest block, to leave the cutter in the shape seen in Fig. 21,

on the next cut and fall upon the inclined face 106 of the head 92, Figs. 2 and 10, whence they will fall into the chute 110, it being noticed that the plane 94 is adjusted so as to pass under the strip 104 without contacting therewith, the ends or cutting portions of the blades extending up above said plane, as seen in Fig. 5, said strip 104 also assisting to hold the block 31 until every portion is used. (See Fig. 20.)

.The operation is as follows: The blocks 31 are superimposed upon each other in the frame 109 and the Weight 108 placed in position. It will then be seen that the rotation of ITO will be fed downwardly or toward the plane and blades, this movement being timed so as to take place when the blades 95 and 96 are out of contact with said block, the latter being held rigidly in position by the dogs or clamps 36, as seen in Figs. 4 and 5. The rotation of the shaft 2 and the cam 8- will also cause the lever. 76 to rock on the center 77, andthus move the pawl 75 up and down, thereby causing the wheel 74 to rotate in the direction of the arrows, Figs. 2 and 8,'thus rotating the wheels 67, the cogs 66 of which contacting with suitable portions of the frame 22, as will be understood from Figs. 2, 7, and

- 7%, thus imparting a motion to the said frame transversely to plane of travel of the blades,

It will further be 1 end of the lever 76 bears on the arm 56, so that every time said lever 76 forcibly contacts with said arm 56 the link 55, attached thereto, will be caused to move, thereby imparting a rocking motion to the shafts 51 and 52, and thus causing the lugs 53 to depress at intervals the frame 22, or forcing it toward its support on the beams l, as will be understood from Fig. 2, this downward depression being resisted by the springs 44, Fig. 4. It will thus be seen from the foregoing that when the frame 22, which carries the rolls which support the blocks, is in the position seen in Fig. 7 on the movement of the head 92 toward the shaft 2 the plane 9t will remove any irregularities from the under side of the lowest of said blocks and the cutters will engage the same, as seen in Figs. 14: and 16. At the beginning of the movement of the head 92 away from the shaft 2 the lugs 53 of the shaft 51 move upwardly, or from the projections 64 on the box 22, thus permitting the latter to be acted on by the springs 44, and thus allowing the top 97 of the cutters to return without contacting with the under side of the lowest block in said box 22, and before the plane 94: reaches the block 31 in its next movement toward the shaft 2 the wheels 67, by their rotation, have caused the frame 22 to move sidewise or transversely to the path of travel of the blades into the position seen in Fig. 7% a distance equal to the thickness of half a splint, and the block has been in the meanwhile moved downwardly by the mechanism actuated by the wheel 18, as above explained, and the cutters meet the wooden block on the next stroke toward the shaft 2, as seen in Fig. 17, the said block having been depressed into the path of the cutters by the contact of the lugs 53 with the portion (it of the frame 22, as has been explained, and it will thus be seen that there is no waste whatever of the raw material, every portion of the block being utilized, as will be evident from Fig. 20.

The cutters can be readily removed in case of breakage and new ones inserted.

The distance between the cog-wheels 67 and the adjacent portions of the frame 22 can be adjusted by manipulating the bolt 71 and the key 73, Fig. (3, as has been explained.

The extent of movement of the pawl 17 can be regulated by moving the block or collar 15.

lVhen it is desired to stop the principal operative parts of the machine suddenly without stopping the rotation of the shaft 2, the handle 81 of the lever is moved in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 8, thus throwing the two pawls 17 and 75 out of engagement with their respective ratchet-wheels, as will be understood.

It will be apparent that the various movements of the several parts may occur at slightly-different intervals with respect to each other from those described and that, furthermore, various changes may be made by those skilled in the art which will come within the scope of the invention, and it is therefore not desired to be limited to the exact constructionsherein shown and described.

It will be evident that square splints can also be readily cut, if desired, by the machine, in which case the mechanism for producing the transverse movement of the frame 22 is dispensed with and the tops of the cutters are fiat instead of being scalloped, as shown. It will further be seen that splints of different lengths may be cut by substituting for the frame 22 similar frames which have the centers of the shafts 19 and 27 mounted at different distances from each other, thus enabling longer blocks of wood to be held in position.

Having thus described the invention of KONRAD H. SOHAFER, deceased, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is

1. Ina wood-splint-cutting machine,a main frame, a casing secured thereon, a movable frame within said casing having feed-rollers mounted on the sides thereof, spring-supports for said movable frame, and rocking shafts journaled in said casing and having projections for said movable frame.

2. In awood-splint-cutting machine,a main frame, a casing secured thereon, a movable frame Within said casing having feed-rollers mounted in the sides thereof, spring-supports for said movable frame, connected rocking shafts with projections bearing against said movable frame, springs secured to said casing and bearing against one of the sides of said movable frame, a rotatable shaft mounted in the ends of said casing, and a gear-wheel on said shaft engaging projections on one of the sides of said movable frame.

3. In a wood-splint-cutting machine, the frame with the casing secured thereon, the frame in said casing having feed-rollers journaled in its sides, the springs secured to said casing and bearing against said frame, the beads on one side of said frame, the toothed wheel engaging said beads, and mechanism substantially as described for intermittently rotating said wheel.

4. In a wood-splint-cutting machine, the frame 1 with the casing 46 secured thereon, the frame 22 in said casing having feed-rollers journaled therein, the springs 63 bearing against said casing 46 and frame 22, the rotatable toothed wheel 68 hearing against heads on said frame 22, the springs 34 secured to said frame 22 and extending below the same and the dogs 36.

5. In a wood-splint-cutting machine, a main frame, a driving-shaft journaled thereon, a casing on said frame, a movable frame in said casin g, having feed-rollers j ournaled thereon, mechanism connected with said shaft for operating said feed-rollers, a sliding head guided on said main frame having blades connected therewith, springs on said casing forcing said movable frame in a direction transverse IIS to the direction of travel of said sliding head,

mechanism operated by contact with a cam on said shaft for forcing said'movable frame in an opposite direction from that caused by the action of said springs, and mechanism for operating said movable frame to and from the plane of travel of said sliding head.

6. In a Wood -splint-cutting machine, a frame, a casing thereon with the shaft 19 journaled therein, the ratchet-wheel 18 mounted on said shaft, the pawl 17 engaging said ratchet-wheel with operative mechanism, the operating horizontal pivoted lever 80, the vertical lever 84 having a beveled upper end engaging said pawl, and the Wire 87 connecting said levers.

7. In a wood -splintcutting machine, a frame, the ratchet-wheels 18 and74 supported thereon at angles to each other, the pawls 17 and 75 with operativemechanism for said ratchet-wheels, the levers 80 and 84: with connecting-wire 87, one end of said lever 80 engaging said pawl 74:, andabeveled end of said lever 84 engaging said pawl 17. 4

8. A casing 46, shafts 51 and 52 journaled therein, lugs 53 on said shafts, and means for actuating the latter, springs 63 attached to said casing, the frame 22 adapted to be placed I between the latter, and having one of its sides contacting with said springs 63, the cog- Wheels 67 suitably journaled and in contact with the other side of said frame, means for actuating said wheels, the rolls 28 journaled in the frame 22, means for rotating the same, the dog 36, the springs 44, the reciprocating head and the cutters secured therein.

9. In a machine of the character described, the main shaft 2, the reciprocating head, rollers for holding blocks, the ratchet-wheels 18 and 74, the pawls 1'7 and 75, engaging said ratchet-Wheels, mechanism actuated by said wheels for moving said blocks, vertically and transversely in respect to said cutter-head and means for simultaneously moving said pawls out of engagement with the ratchetwheels Without stopping the reciprocating head. i

10. In a machine of the character described, a main shaft, means for actuating the same, rollers between which the blocks are held, said rollers being journaled in the sides of a suitable frame, springs on which said frame rests, rook-shafts and lugs thereonadapted to contact at intervals with said frame and thus impart a vertical movement thereto, means for rotating said rollers and for giving a lat eral movement thereto, a reciprocating head,

a frame in which said rollers are journaled,

springs on which said frame rests, rock-shafts having lugs adapted to contact at intervals with said frame, and thus impart a vertical movement thereto, means for actuating said rock-shafts, means for rotating said rollers and forimparting a lateral movement thereto, dogs 36 for holding the raw material in position, cutters, means for actuating the same, and a stop with which said cutters contact at the end of their stroke.

12. A main shaft, rollers between which the material is held, a spring-supported frame in which said rollers are journaled, means for giving said rollers a vertical and rotary movement, a shaft carrying a cog-wheel adjacent said frame adapted to move the frame laterally, means for rotating said shaft and actuating said cog-wheel, means for imparting a vertical movement to said frame, a head carrying cutters and a plane, and means for actuating said head.

13. In a-wood-splint-cutting machine, theframe 1 with the casing 46 secured thereon, the frame 22 in-said casing having feed-rollers therein, the rocking shafts 51 journaled in said casing and having lugs 53 thereon, the springs 63 secured to said casing and bearing against said frame 22, the rotatable toothed Wheel 68 bearing against said frame 22, the Springs 3% secured to said frame and extending below the same, the dogs 36 and the sliding head 93 with blades thereon.

14:. In a wood-splint-cutting machine, a main frame, a frame with feed-rollers mounted therein, a sliding head with cutters, mechanism for imparting a motion to said feedroller frame to and from the plane of travel of said cutter-head, and mechanism for imparting a movement to said feed-roller frame transversely to the direction of travel of said cutter-head, 'the cutters in said head being of different widths, those of the same width being in'alinement with each other, the cutters of the least width being in advance of the others.

'CATHARINA SOHAFER, Execuiriw of the estate of Ifom ad H Schafcr,

deceased. Witnesses:

J OHN A. WmnERsHmr/r, A. P. JENNINGS. 

